JP5135100B2 - Vehicle motion control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle motion control system in which each vehicle control device is operated cooperatively by exchanging cooperative control signals among a plurality of vehicle control devices.

Various types of vehicle control devices that control the state of motion of the vehicle body are mounted on automobiles for the purpose of improving running stability. For example, an electric power steering device (see Patent Document 1) that optimizes the behavior of the vehicle by increasing or decreasing the assist force by the electric motor according to the behavior (yaw rate) of the vehicle, or by distributing the braking force for the front, rear, left, and right wheels A vehicle behavior stabilization device that optimizes the behavior of the vehicle (see Patent Document 2), and a rear wheel toe angle control device that stabilizes the behavior of the vehicle by individually adjusting the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels (Patent Document 3) See).
Japanese Patent No. 3110891 Japanese Patent No. 3214824 Japanese Patent No. 3179271

  In a vehicle equipped with a plurality of such vehicle control devices, if the vehicle control devices are operated without being related to each other, the control of each vehicle control device causes interference, and the control operation becomes unstable. Therefore, cooperative control is desired in which each vehicle control device is operated cooperatively by exchanging necessary signals.

  However, although the voltage required for operation is applied to the vehicle control device from the battery, if the voltage applied to the vehicle control device is significantly reduced due to the failure of the alternator, normal operation of the vehicle control device becomes difficult. At this time, since the voltage required for stable operation differs depending on the vehicle control device, some vehicle control devices stop the control, while the remaining vehicle control devices continue the control. It becomes an irregular state.

  However, in coordinated control, the design is based on the assumption that all of the related vehicle control devices are operating normally. Therefore, coordinated control is performed by the remaining vehicle control devices with some vehicle control devices stopped. If is continuously executed, the vehicle control device may cause an unexpected operation.

  The present invention has been devised based on such knowledge of the inventor, and its main purpose is that one of a plurality of vehicle control devices for which cooperative control is performed stops control due to voltage abnormality. In such a case, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control system configured so that other vehicle control devices do not cause unexpected operations.

In order to solve such a problem, in the vehicle control system according to the present invention, a plurality of vehicle control devices (EPS controller 1, VSA controller 2, and RTC controller 3) for controlling the behavior of the vehicle as shown in claim 1. The plurality of vehicle control devices are supplied with electric power from the same power supply device (battery 4) and perform basic control (101, 201, 301), and the other vehicle control devices A cooperative control signal transmitting / receiving unit (103, 203, 303) that exchanges cooperative control signals with each other, and a cooperative control unit (102 that performs cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal received from the other vehicle control device (102) 202, 302) and an abnormality in the voltage supplied from the power supply device depending on whether or not the allowable voltage range set for each vehicle control device is below When a voltage abnormality is detected by the voltage abnormality detection unit (104/204/304) to be detected and the voltage abnormality detection unit, a cooperative control stop signal is transmitted to the other vehicle control device, and a voltage abnormality is detected. A coordinated control instruction unit (105, 205, 305) that receives a coordinated control stop signal transmitted from the other vehicle control device, and when the voltage abnormality detection unit detects a voltage abnormality, the base control unit And when the cooperative control instruction unit receives the cooperative control stop signal from the other vehicle control device, the cooperative control by the cooperative control unit is stopped and the base control is stopped. It was assumed that only basic control by the unit was performed .

The vehicle control system according to the present invention includes a plurality of vehicle control devices (EPS controller 1, VSA controller 2 and RTC controller 3) for controlling the behavior of the vehicle, as set forth in claim 2, and a plurality of the vehicles The control device is supplied with electric power from the same power supply device (battery 4), and generates a cooperative control signal between the base control unit (101, 201, 301) that performs basic control and the other vehicle control device. A cooperative control signal transmitting / receiving unit (103, 203, 303) for performing exchange, a cooperative control unit (102, 202, 302) for performing cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal received from the other vehicle control device, A voltage abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the voltage supplied from the power supply device depending on whether or not the allowable voltage range set for each vehicle control device is exceeded ( 04, 204, 304), and when the voltage abnormality detection unit detects a voltage abnormality, the other vehicle control apparatus transmits a cooperative control stop signal to the other vehicle control apparatus and detects the voltage abnormality. A cooperative control instruction unit (105, 205, 305) that receives a cooperative control stop signal transmitted from the control unit, and when the voltage abnormality detection unit detects a voltage abnormality, the base control unit and the cooperative control unit control When the cooperative control instruction unit receives the cooperative control stop signal from another vehicle control device, the cooperative control signal transmission / reception unit stops exchanging the cooperative control signal, and the base control unit It was assumed that only basic control by was performed .

  According to this, when one of the vehicle control devices stops control due to a voltage abnormality, the other vehicle control device shifts to a state in which basic control without cooperative control, that is, cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal is not involved at all. Therefore, it is possible to avoid other vehicle control devices from causing unexpected operations.

In the vehicle control system, as shown in claim 3, the plurality of vehicle control devices respectively perform electric power steering control, vehicle behavior stabilization control, and rear wheel toe angle control (EPS controller 1, VSA controller). 2 and RTC controller 3).

  Here, cooperative control refers to, for example, correcting a control value uniquely obtained in the own device based on a required state quantity detected by sensors based on a cooperative control signal received from another vehicle control device. The vehicle control device that is the transmission source of the cooperative control signal obtains the control value of the own device based on the required state quantity, while the cooperative control signal is transmitted. A signal is generated and transmitted to other related vehicle control devices.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal received from another vehicle control device, that is, the correction operation based on the cooperative control signal for the control value uniquely obtained within the own device, or the cooperative control. What is necessary is just to stop the operation of the cooperative control means for executing a replacement operation to another control value based on the signal, but in addition to this, the correction operation and the replacement operation in the cooperative control means are invalidated, for example, in the own device The switch means for intermittently inputting the correction value to the means for adding the correction value based on the cooperative control signal (for example, the adder / subtracter) to the control value uniquely obtained in (5) or the control uniquely obtained in the own apparatus It is good also as a structure which operates the switch means which switches a value and another control value based on a cooperative control signal. Further, in the cooperative control means configured such that the cooperative control is not performed unless the cooperative control signal is input, the switch means for intermittently inputting the cooperative control signal to the cooperative control means may be operated.

  In particular, in the invention described in claim 2, it is only necessary to stop the transmission operation or the reception operation of the cooperative control signal transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving the cooperative control signal, whereby an illegal cooperative control signal for the cooperative control means for executing the cooperative control. Is blocked.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when one of the vehicle control devices stops control due to voltage abnormality, the other vehicle control device shifts to basic control without cooperative control. Can be avoided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vehicle control system according to the present invention. This vehicle control system is applied to a four-wheeled vehicle, and includes controllers (vehicle control devices) 1 for EPS (electric power steering), VSA (vehicle behavior stabilization control) and RTC (rear wheel toe angle control). To 3 are connected via a CAN (Controller Area Network). In addition, power is supplied from the battery 4 to each of the controllers 1 to 3 via a power supply path (wire harness) 8.

  The battery 4 is connected to a cell motor 5 for starting the engine, and a generator (alternator) 6 driven by the engine is connected to the battery 4 via a rectifier (rectifier) 7. Thus, the battery 4 is charged. In the power supply device configured as described above, particularly when a failure occurs in the generator 6, the voltage applied to the EPS, VSA and RTC controllers 1 to 3 drops, and this voltage is applied to each of the controllers 1 to 3. If it falls below the allowable voltage range set for each, the controllers 1 to 3 stop the control.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 2, showing another example of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers when a voltage abnormality is detected by the EPS controller shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIG. The case of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG.

  The EPS controller 1 includes actuators 11, specifically steering, based on required state quantities detected by sensors 10, specifically, sensors that detect the front wheel steering angle, steering torque, vehicle speed, yaw rate, and the like. It is provided on the steering mechanism from the wheel to the knuckle of the left and right front wheels, and controls the electric motor that generates the assist force that assists the driver's manual steering force, so that the running stability is improved. The steering force of the front wheels is controlled so that the assist force is controlled or the behavior of the vehicle is optimized.

  The base control unit 101 calculates a control value based on the state quantity detected by the sensors 10. In the cooperative control unit 102, the control value from the base control unit 101 is corrected based on the cooperative control signal received from the VSA controller 2 or the RTC controller 3 via the cooperative control signal transmitting / receiving unit 103, or Replaced with another control value based on. Also, the cooperative control unit 102 generates a cooperative control signal related to VSA and RTC, and the cooperative control signal is sent to the VSA controller 2 and the RTC controller 3 via the cooperative control signal transmission / reception unit 103.

  The VSA controller 2 includes actuators 12, specifically front and rear, based on required state quantities detected by sensors 10, specifically, sensors that detect front wheel steering angle, vehicle speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and the like. The hydraulic pressure unit for supplying the brake hydraulic pressure to the brake cylinder for each of the left and right wheels is controlled, whereby the braking force for each wheel is controlled so that the behavior of the automobile is optimized. Similar to the EPS controller 1, the VSA controller 2 includes a base control unit 201, a cooperative control unit 202, and a cooperative control signal transmission / reception unit 203. The functions of the respective units are the same as those in the EPS controller 1. It is.

  The RTC controller 3 is based on the required state quantities detected by the sensors 10, specifically sensors for detecting the front wheel steering angle, the vehicle speed, the yaw rate, the lateral acceleration, and the like. This is a linear actuator that is provided on the suspension of the rear wheel and steers the rear wheel by pushing and pulling. This controls the toe angle of the left and right rear wheels to optimize the behavior of the car. The Similar to the EPS controller 1, the RTC controller 3 includes a base control unit 301, a cooperative control unit 302, and a cooperative control signal transmission / reception unit 303. The functions of the respective units are the same as those in the EPS controller 1. .

  There are various cooperative control signals exchanged between the EPS, VSA and RTC controllers 1 to 3 according to the control logic of the controllers 1 to 3, for example, from the RTC controller 3 to the VSA controller 2. On the other hand, a cooperative control signal for instructing the brake fluid pressure is sent, and a cooperative control signal for instructing the steering angle from the VSA controller 2 to the EPS controller 1 is sent.

  Furthermore, in this vehicle control system, each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers 1 to 3 includes a voltage abnormality detection unit 104/204/304 and a cooperative control instruction unit 105/205/305. The voltage abnormality detection unit 104/204/304 detects an abnormal drop in the voltage supplied from the battery 4. When the voltage abnormality detection unit 104/204/304 detects a voltage abnormality, each controller 1 to 3, that is, the control of the base control units 101, 201, 301 and the cooperative control units 102, 202, 302 is stopped.

  When the voltage abnormality detection unit 104/204/304 detects a voltage abnormality, the cooperation control instruction unit 105/205/305 transmits a cooperation control stop signal to the other controllers 1 to 3 and detects the voltage abnormality. The coordinated control stop signal transmitted from the other controllers 1 to 3 is received.

  In particular, in the example shown in FIG. 2, in each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers 1 to 3, when the cooperative control instruction units 105, 205, and 305 receive cooperative control stop signals from other controllers 1 to 3, Based on the stop instruction from the units 105, 205, and 305, the cooperative control in the cooperative control units 102, 202, and 302 is stopped, and only basic control by the base control units 101, 201, and 301 is executed (FIG. 4). (See (A)).

  At this time, the cooperative control units 102, 202, and 302 execute a correction operation based on the cooperative control signal for the control values from the base control units 101, 201, and 301, or a replacement operation with another control value based on the cooperative control signal. For example, the control value from the base control unit 101 may be switched off or on by switching off the input of the correction value to the adder / subtractor that adds or subtracts the correction value based on the cooperative control signal. A switch for selecting either the control value from the unit 101 or another control value based on the cooperative control signal may be switched so that the control value from the base control unit 101 is selected.

  On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 3, when each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers 1 to 3 receives the cooperative control stop signal from the other controllers 1 to 3 at the cooperative control instruction units 105, 205, and 305, the cooperative control is performed. Based on the stop instruction from the instruction units 105, 205, and 305, the exchange of the cooperative control signal is stopped, that is, the cooperative control signal transmission / reception operation in the cooperative control signal transmission / reception units 103, 203, and 303 is stopped (FIG. 4 ( B)).

  As a result, the cooperative control signal is not input to the cooperative control units 102, 202, and 302, and the cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal is not performed, and control based only on basic control by the base control units 101, 201, and 301 is performed. The value is output.

  Note that whether the configuration for canceling the cooperative control shown in FIG. 2 or the configuration for canceling the exchange of the cooperative control signal shown in FIG. 3 is appropriate depends on the control logic of the cooperative control units 102, 202, and 302. Depending on the situation, an appropriate configuration may be adopted as appropriate.

  2 and 3 show an example in which cooperative control signals are exchanged bidirectionally in each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers 1 to 3. However, there are cases where the exchange of cooperative control signals is unidirectional. An appropriate configuration may be adopted as appropriate according to the control logic of the cooperative control units 102, 202, and 302.

  Moreover, although the example shown here was for a vehicle cooperative control system including EPS, VSA, and RTC, the present invention includes other control devices such as 4WD control, stabilizer control, differential control, and the like. It can also be applied to the vehicle cooperative control system. Furthermore, although an example using CAN is shown here regarding the transmission / reception of the cooperative control signal and the cooperative control stop signal, the present invention does not depend on a specific communication form, and any communication form such as FlexRay can be used. May be.

It is a block diagram which shows the vehicle control system by this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of each of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 2, showing another example of the EPS, VSA, and RTC controllers shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operational procedure of each controller of EPS, VSA, and RTC when a voltage abnormality is detected by the EPS controller shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIG. The cases are shown in (B).

Explanation of symbols

1 EPS controller (vehicle control device)
2 VSA controller (vehicle control device)
3 RTC controller (vehicle control device)
4 Battery 6 Generator 10 Sensors 11, 12, 13 Actuators 101, 201, 301 Base control units 102, 202, 302 Cooperation control units 103, 203, 303 Cooperation control signal transmission / reception units 104, 204, 304 Voltage abnormality detection unit 105/205/305 Cooperative control instruction unit

Claims (3)

Having a plurality of vehicle control devices for controlling the behavior of the vehicle;
The plurality of vehicle control devices include:
Power is supplied from the same power supply,
A base control unit that performs basic control;
A cooperative control signal transmitting and receiving unit for exchanging cooperative control signals with the other vehicle control devices;
A cooperative control unit that performs cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal received from the other vehicle control device;
A voltage abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality of a voltage supplied from the power supply device depending on whether or not the allowable voltage range set for each vehicle control device is below,
When a voltage abnormality is detected by the voltage abnormality detection unit, a cooperative control stop signal is transmitted to the other vehicle control device, and a cooperative control stop signal is transmitted from the other vehicle control device that has detected the voltage abnormality. A cooperative control instruction unit for receiving
When a voltage abnormality is detected by the voltage abnormality detection unit, both the base control unit and the cooperative control unit are stopped.
When the cooperative control instruction unit receives the cooperative control stop signal from the other vehicle control device, the cooperative control by the cooperative control unit is stopped and only basic control by the base control unit is performed. A vehicle motion control system characterized by that. Having a plurality of vehicle control devices for controlling the behavior of the vehicle;
The plurality of vehicle control devices include:
Power is supplied from the same power supply,
A base control unit that performs basic control;
A cooperative control signal transmitting and receiving unit for exchanging cooperative control signals with the other vehicle control devices;
A cooperative control unit that performs cooperative control based on the cooperative control signal received from the other vehicle control device;
A voltage abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality of a voltage supplied from the power supply device depending on whether or not the allowable voltage range set for each vehicle control device is below,
When a voltage abnormality is detected by the voltage abnormality detection unit, a cooperative control stop signal is transmitted to the other vehicle control device, and a cooperative control stop signal is transmitted from the other vehicle control device that has detected the voltage abnormality. A cooperative control instruction unit for receiving
When a voltage abnormality is detected by the voltage abnormality detection unit, both the base control unit and the cooperative control unit are stopped.
When the cooperative control instruction unit receives the cooperative control stop signal from the other vehicle control device, the cooperative control signal transmission / reception unit stops the exchange of the cooperative control signal, and the base control unit performs basic control. A vehicle motion control system, characterized in that only is performed .   The vehicle motion control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of vehicle control devices respectively perform electric power steering control, vehicle behavior stabilization control, and rear wheel toe angle control.

Images